Franklin Wins Third Title as the AT&T Winter National Championships Conclude

12/1/2012

AUSTIN, Texas – Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) would collect her third National title as the 2012 AT&T Winter National Championships came to a close at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. Franklin finished the three-day meet with three titles, along with a silver and bronze medal.

Franklin’s third title of the meet came with a blistering 1:49.18 in the 200y back. Her time was just shy of the American record set by Elizabeth Pelton (1:49.16) last year. Fellow Coloradan Bonnie Brandon (Denver, Colo.), would claim the silver medal in 1:51.49. Dynamo Swim Club’s Kylie Stewart would round out the top three podium spots with a 1:52.77 swim.

Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md.) started the evening’s individual events off flirting with the 1650y free American record. Up until about the 1100y mark, Ledecky had the American record beat. Although she didn’t claim the record, the 15-year old Olympic gold medalist would set a meet record with a 15:28.36, which was the second fastest time ever swum. Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif.) would touch the wall next in 15:55.91 and Indiana’s Lindsay Vroom came in third (15:56.81).

In the men’s part of the mile swim, Longhorn fans watched one of their very own capture the men’s title. Michael McBroom (The Woodlands, Texas) went 14:40.10 for his second National title as he won the 500y free on Thursday. Evan Pinion from the Dynamo Swim Club touched next in 14:56.47. USC’s Cristian Quintero would win the bronze medal with a 15:00.79.

Another youngster would come out on top in the men’s 200y back as 17-year old Evan Pinion from Bolles Swimming School would edge out Gator Swim Club’s Arkady Vyatchanin 1:38.15 to 1:38.22. Alex Lendrum from USC would finish third in 1:42.29. Pinion’s time set the National Age Group Record for 17-18 year olds.

In the women’s 100y free, Margo Geer (Milford Center, Ohio) would claim her first National Championship in 47.16. Franklin, who was swimming roughly 12 minutes after her 200y back win, battled Geer until the end and touched in 47.60. Olivia Smoliga (Glenview, Ill.) finished third in 47.89.

Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) picked up his second title in two days with a win in the 100y free in 41.71. Louisville’s Joao De Lucca came in second touching in 42.05 and Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) swam a personal-best 42.32 for third.

Laura Sogar (Exeter, R.I.) swept the breaststroke events by winning the 100y last night and going 2:05.39 for the gold in the 200y tonight. Andrea Kropp (Santa Clarita, Calif.) took home silver in 2:07.62 and Jessica Schmitt from USC was third in 2:09.78.

Kevin Cordes (Naperville, Ill.) flirted with the American and U.S. Open record in the 200y breast during the morning prelims (1:51.93) and then blew it away in finals by going a 1:50.73. Cordes wasn’t the only one that swam faster than the previous records as Clark Burckle (Louisville, Ky.) swam a 1:51.20 for second place. The previous American record (1:51.73) was held by Mike Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill.) who finished third in 1:52.24.

The final individual event of the meet was the 200y fly. Jasmine Tosky (Palo Alto, Calif.) collected her first National title with a 1:54.38. Kim Vandenberg (Moraga, Calif.) narrowly beat out UCLA’s Noelle Tarazona for the silver medal. Vandenberg swam a 1:55.94 and Tarazona went 1:55.95.

On the men’s side, Tom Shields (Huntington Beach, Calif.) took home the gold in a meet record time of 1:40.24. Clark Smith from Dynamo Swim Club won the silver medal in 1:44.58 and Arizona’s Nimrod Shapira bar-or would claim the bronze medal in 1:44.80.

At the conclusion of the meet, three additional individual awards were handed out. Missy Franklin from the Colorado Stars won the meet’s high point award from the women. Matt Grevers for Tucson Ford and Ryan Murphy of Bolles Swimming School would tie for the men’s high point award. Grevers would also collect the Phillips 66 Performance Award for his American record-breaking swim in the 100y back.

For complete results of the 2012 AT&T Winter National Championships, please visit USA Swimming’s event page. The three-day meet was the last major domestic USA Swimming event of the year. On Sunday, December 2 from 2-3 p.m. ET, NBC will have a one-hour broadcast special of the meet.